Saudi Arabia Signals Possible Military Response to Iranian Attacks

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Saudi Arabia has not ruled out military action in response to repeated missile and drone attacks it attributes to Iran, Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said on Thursday, warning that continued escalation could provoke a direct response.

Speaking after a regional foreign ministers’ meeting in Riyadh, Prince Faisal accused Iran of attempting to pressure its neighbors through sustained attacks.

“The kingdom is not going to succumb to pressure, and on the contrary, this pressure will backfire,” he said. “We have reserved the right to take military actions if deemed necessary.”

Saudi authorities reported fresh attacks on Wednesday, coinciding with the diplomatic gathering in the capital. Multiple explosions were heard across Riyadh, according to journalists, while the defense ministry said it had successfully intercepted incoming ballistic missiles.

Prince Faisal described the timing of the strikes as a clear signal from Tehran. “The targeting of Riyadh while a number of diplomats are meeting… is the clearest indication of how Iran feels about diplomacy,” he said. “It doesn’t believe in talking to its neighbors.”

The Saudi foreign minister condemned what he called the repeated targeting of civilian infrastructure across the Gulf, including energy facilities, airports, and residential areas.

He dismissed Iran’s claims that it was aiming at U.S. interests in the region as “weak,” emphasizing that Gulf states would not accept coercion.

“Neither Saudi Arabia nor the Gulf states would accept blackmail, and escalation will be met with escalation,” he added.

A joint statement issued following the meeting, which included foreign ministers from around a dozen Arab and Islamic countries, echoed the condemnation. It denounced the “deliberate use of ballistic missiles and drones” against civilian sites, including oil installations, desalination plants, airports, housing, and diplomatic missions.

The statement reaffirmed that such attacks “cannot be justified under any circumstances” and reiterated the right of states to self-defense. It also called on Iran to immediately halt its attacks and take steps to de-escalate tensions in an increasingly volatile region.